It is Freedom Day in South Africa.

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A public holiday celebrating the day that voting was opened to all.
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But like this squirrel on the study window, the demands are high.

Nothing much to celebrate on this day in my mind as we are all struggling in this country. Let me qualify all by stating that in this country only the elite lives well. The rest of us face the same old battle for survival every day. Have you heard the saying, the rich get richer and poor gets poorer? Well this is a great truth.
The only good thing about the day is that we could get to spend a rare whole day at home and it feels like a holiday.

Oh yes, I often tease them, but they get what they want.
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Manny the Praying-mantis was sleeping in the bush this morning.
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Look how clever he is sleeping under the leaves, as it matches his colors.
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A Ring-neck mom here with her baby in the garden.
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A cute little one isn't he?
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Two squirrels came for nuts while I stood taking photos of the dove and her baby. The squirrel at the front ate the nut and the one at the back was burying the nut.
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A little Southern Double-collared Sunbird came in, gave me the eye and took off again.
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Like this tiny butterfly below, we are all battered and bruised from the events in life here. Both nature and criminality dogs each one of us and one dare not walk in the streets for fear of being robbed.
Woman and children are raped and killed every day and the living costs are increasing every month so the desperate poor cannot afford basic food.
Only a short piece about our struggles here.

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Yet some politicians are out today telling the nation how wonderful our freedom is and other politicians reject freedom day as an empty scam.
Talk is cheap, but it is action that counts and the problem is that there is no action. Corruption has spiraled beyond control and one has to be all eyes when stopping at a red traffic light in case a guy with a gun rocks up to steal your valuables and your car.
So Freedom Day is an empty dream in my mind.

And That's All Friends.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.

Thank you kindly for supporting a post on behalf of @papilloncharity

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33 comments
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Great post for today. Well I am with you our country is corrupt. This afternoon there was a robbery. The guy was sitting in his house, and whoops there came a guy and took his laptop out his hand. I feel for the children 😪 so many children are getting missing I feel sad, nobody is safe here anymore. Wish I could also get out of this country. But like you say you get rich people and poor people. I'm on the poor side. Have a blessed evening xx

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Thank you and yes, almost every family in the country have had one or another crime incident. So it no longer if it's going to happen to all of us, but rather when.
My phone was taken with a gun in my neck and thankfully the guy didn't pull the trigger.
We are in the same boat, stranded here and nowhere to go.
Take care and be awake whenever you go out anywhere.

Blessings also to you.

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love the squirrel though and the birds. i will tease the squirrel all day long. 😄

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Oh you are a tease! But that cocked head of your little fluffy tailed companion looks like it is an essential part of your relationship. I am delighted to report that we finally have Southern double breasted Sunbirds living here. FOUR little males and an entire harem of females.

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Hahaha, it has become a ritual and before I used to put the nuts out on the sill earlier, but now I wait for him to call me and as you see, he does it in style.
Such good news and I share your delight for sure. If they feel safe then soon you will have many more of them around. They build only one nest and continue to use the same nest every breeding season.
Good news indeed.

!PIZZA

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Really?! Ooooooo! I hope I find the nest. That is something I didn't know. I was hoping the Malachite Sunbird family would return to the cacti nest again but all the winds have trashed their home.

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They normally build the nest in a tree with dense leaves as protection against predators and the weather. We have a Bottle Brush tree here where their nest is in.
You were so lucky with the Malachite's nesting and maybe they will return and if they do, they will simply build a new nest.

!PIZZA

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Always a breath of fresh air reading your posts and seeing the stunning photography my friend!
I don't even want to say a word about Freedom Day, as everyone in power has abused this word to do just what they please, and steal from the poorest of the poor, when moneys meant for those communities end up in the pockets of buddies who then share it with them!

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Thank you for the kindness Lady Lizzie.

The problem is that the government keeps on looking back and rely on bad to gather voters, instead of looking ahead in order to get their act right and create progress.
Everything is blamed on apartheid, in order to soften the blow of corruption and to keep the focus on the past.
Never before did we have to be worried about emergency relief funds being stolen, but since state capture and the Covid fiasco with millions, or rather billions disappearing, we are now fed with the news that the emergency funding for KZN will be secure.
So all of a sudden the greedy fingers have all been cured???

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I like how you called the praying mantis Manny, hahaha.
Wait, I forgot, where do you live again?
Your country is blessed with the most wonderful and colorful birds.
Do you think they know what is happening there?
!LUV
!LOL
!PIZZA
!LADY

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(Edited)

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Very beautiful post. Happy Freedom Day. I love the pictures, my friend.

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Alkt can be said about most "public" holidays in South Africa, for the most part, they are more a reminder of the terrible things that have happened in the past than celebration days. Freedom day is no different, it was put there to remind us year after year of South Africa's terrible past. Rather than focusing on our terrible present and what we can do to change it, our government would rather harp on things they got right in the past as to divert our attention from our current circumstances, anyway thats just my opinion on the matter

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I have just done a similar reply to another friend. No use to keep the eyes on the past, as then it is taken off the future, but that's exactly what is happening. The claim that the terrible present is the result of the past doesn't wash anymore, as instead of learning from the past in order not to repeat it, much more discord is now sown between the nations in order to hold on to the power and the money pots.
So many wrongs nowadays that one cannot even see or think that it will ever end.
In the meantime the people continue to suffer.

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100%, they cannot keep on blaming the past for the present, its not the people in the past that determine our present and future, its us tgat must make the right decisions fir a better future, but unfortunately its human nature to make excuses and drum up sympathy for things that happen tk them in the past

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The past is merely used by some to mask the mistakes of the present.
Yes, we all suffered, but life goes on and it is up to us what we do with it.

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Yay! 🤗
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Thank you for the points @sharker and @ecency

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You are welcome. Not much I can help but wish you and beautiful South Africa the best possible future!

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Thank you once again and I also hope that your future will be great wherever you are.

!BEER

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Freedom Day, wouldn't that be a wonderful day to celebrate if those words rang true.

So much pain and suffering that it makes you wonder if things will ever change for the good.

God Bless.

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I think that we should rather rename it to Mourning Day my friend.

A Luta Continua means that the battle continues, but some days we can only sit down and cry.
Such is life here.

Blessings also to you guys.

!BEER !PIZZA !LUV and !WINEX

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Thanks for your support and gifts, always appreciated!

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Only a pleasure to give same as it is for you guys.
We are ONE in spirit.

!BEER !LOLZ !LUV

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